Truth is a hard pill to swallow
by Aaya Vandell
Summary: What happens when Jenny finds out about another girl that used to be in Brad's life? What kind of secrets could he be hiding? Read to find out. *I don't own MLAATR.*
1. She's back!

Chapter 1

Annie Comes Back

Tucker Carbunkle was playing out in the driveway as usual when he heard a car pull up right behind him. Someone came out of the car and shut the door. He turned around and saw a familiar face.

Jenny Wakeman and Brad Carbunkle lay on the back lawn, staring at the clouds as they passed by. Brad, feeling unusually random at that moment said, "What if clouds were giant floating marshmallows?" Jenny gave him a confused look, shook her head, and continued looking at the sky. Brad muttered, "There are no dumb questions, Jenny." She dismissed the comment with a wave of her hand. At that moment, Tuck rushed in, running and flailing his arms about his head, and shouting, "She's back! She's back! She's back! She's back! She's back! She's back! She's back! She's ba-" Brad grabbed the collar of his little brother's shirt and pulled him up by it. "Who's back, Tuck?"

"I'll tell you if you'll put me down."

"Fine," Brad said, and dropped him. Tuck stood up then pulled on his brother's arm as he spoke. "_She's _back! Angelina Wilmat! We haven't seen her in five years Brad! Five years!" Jenny watched the whole seen with curiosity. It seemed like Brad was slowley processing the information. She waved her hand in front of his face, but he seemed to be in some sort of daze. Then he turned through the house and out the front door with Jenny and Tuck following close behind. Once out the front door he thrust his self at the brown-haired blue-eyed girl in front of him. She was caught off gaurd and fell backwards. Brad fell with her. After hitting the lawn, they both sat up and extended their arms out to eachother. "Brad!" Angelina layed her head on his shoulder. "Angie!" Brad squeezed his old friend, then added in a more calm voice, "It's good to have you back."


	2. A few hints

Author's Note: I realized quickly after I started writing this that I paired up Angelina and Brad (like Angelina Jolie and Bra

_**Author's Note: I realized quickly after I started writing this that I paired up Angelina and Brad (like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt), completely unconscious of what I was doing. This was not intentional! I also intend to change one of the sub genres of this story, but don't worry! We'll see how it works out, okay? Oh, and many thanks to those of you who wrote reviews. It really made my day to see that you liked to story. Ending on that note, here's Chapter 2. **_

A Hint…

Ruby and Ralph Carbunkle (Brad and Tuck's parents) ran outside to greet their guest. Ruby reached Angelina first and pulled her into a bear hug. "It's good to have you back," she said as she squeezed the girl, "And you didn't even bother to give a heads-up!" Angelina replied, "I wanted to surprise you!" Ruby then held her at arms length. "Look at you," she said with a motherly smile. "You're so _beautiful_." Ralph placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "It's good to have you back, Angie." Then he said, "Brad! Tuck! Take Angie's bags to her room, and be _careful_ with them."

"Yes sir!" Both boys took her luggage into the house. Jenny followed them into a room that, until now, had remained locked.

The room had the monochromatic color scheme of black and white in the twin sized bedspread, furniture (of which there was very little) and various pieces of art that hung on the walls. But a small, sloped enclave off to the right-hand side of the room could barely go unnoticed, mainly because of its contents. It was painted pink, and a crib sat in the center. There was a mobile hanging from the ceiling, and a changing table next to that, and even a whicker rocking chair.

To someone who hadn't helped with the planning of this room, they might've been confused. Jenny was, and she became more curious when she saw how Brad reacted. She noticed that, upon entering the room, he looked toward the small space longingly, clutching the suitcase handle and, after taking a deep breath, walked into the room. Tuck followed behind, then Jenny, and then Angie. Immediately, she reeled back as if someone had dealt her a severe blow and grabbed the door frame. Her heart started racing and she took in a sharp breath. Brad turned around and grabbed one of arms to help steady her. He could feel that she was trembling, and looked at her as if to say, "Are you alright?" Angie nodded her head and entered the room. Time seemed to stand still as she ran her hand wistfully across the crib railing. She looked crushed when she turned to them. "Nothing's changed," she said. There was mixture of happiness and pain on her face. Brad, unable to bear anymore, swiftly left the room. Tuck quickly followed after to comfort him. Jenny, who looked from Brad to the other girl in the room, felt that something was amiss. Angie placed a hand on her metallic shoulder and assured her, "He'll be alright."

Norene Wakeman dialed a number, praying that she would get the answering machine. It seemed that fate was against her. A woman with an authentic British accent answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello Dahlia," This was not what Nora wanted.

"Oh Nora!" the woman said with mock surprise. "How are you, _dear_ girl?"

"Is your husband available?"

"Oh, you mean Damon? Good heavens, no! May I take a message?"

"Will you tell him that his daughter has come back to town? I really have no idea how long she'll be here, but she's staying with the Carbunkles and I think she would like to see him."

"Oh you mean the rebellious love child?" She laughed bitterly. "Angelina was her name, right? How much fun! I can't wait to see her again!"

Nora listened carefully and discerned what Dahlia truly meant. "You don't want him to be around her, do you?"

"Absolutely not!" she said vehemently. "She's not my child and we don't want any old feelings resurfacing, do we, Nora?" She laughed again. "I will allow him to see her, but not under my roof. Access to my abode for her is expressly forbidden."

Nora was quiet for a moment. "Thank you for understanding." She bid her acquaintance good-bye, and hung up.

Meanwhile, Dahlia climbed the stairs to her bedroom and sat next to her hard working husband. "Darling," she whispered, "your daughter is back in the area." Then she flashed a menacing smile. "How about we pay her a visit, hmm?"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Espionage**_

Angie sat on the sofa in den with an old photo album in her lap.

She slowly lifted the cover and, with her pointer finger, traced the picture of a newborn baby girl that was on the first page. She read the dedication – embossed in gold on the cover- out loud. "'In loving memory of Angela Marissa Carbunkle.'" She stared longingly at the little face, closed the book and tucked it under a throw pillow. Sadness swept over her, and momentarily she felt a renewal of old emotions inside of her. She remembered the excitement of seeing Angel for the first time. Then she remembered how the nurses had gently cleaned her up, and handed her to Angie with expressions of joy mixed with sorrow. And then, all at once, she could feel the softness of her daughter's skin, the warmth that radiated from her body…and then she stopped breathing; not a cry was heard. Terror stricken, she turned to the nurse at her side. One look into her face and Angie knew; the nurse and doctor took little Angel to the ICU in an attempt to save her life, but it was no use. The last time Angie saw her baby girl she was dressed in an outfit that her grandmother had picked out for her, lying so still and lifeless in a small coffin that was too big for a 5 month premature baby - Angie's baby…gone forever. She hadn't even gotten a chance to see her little eyes open…

That had happened five years ago…. so why did these memories still bring her pain? She shook her head as if to shake off the burden of pain that plagued her. What good was it to wonder _"What if?" _ She was gone, Angie herself was older, and had to go on. That didn't sound nice. But it was the truth. "Truth,"Angie said, "is like a pill. Bitter and hard as it is to swallow, you have to take it. It makes you better in the end."

"I'll say it does."

Angie looked at Brad, who was leaning in the doorway, watching her intently. It was he who had spoken. "But it's easier to say things then to do 'em." He sat in the chair adjacent to the sofa. Looking humiliated, he confessed, "I haven't been able to face the reality of the situation yet. It's been five years, and you've moved on…….but I'm a _coward_ who doesn't want to let go of the past- who's afraid to embrace the new." He hung his head. The shadows hid his face. "I'm worse then you are, Ang."

A moment of profound silence passed between them before Angie spoke again. "We're both bad at this, Brad." Then without a moment's hesitation, she took his hand in hers. "But we're getting better. We're getting stronger every day. And that's better then acting like we don't care at all, right?" Brad looked at her and saw her old optimism shining through that confident smile. He squeezed her hand and nodded his head, unable to speak, on the verge of tears. So this was why she came back. What a good woman this was!

_ _ _

Jenny sat at her window and watched the whole scene. Finally, she couldn't take anymore, turned the light off in her room, and went into sleep mode.

_ _ _

_**Author's Note: **__I'm so sorry that it's taken me this long to update this story. I thank you all for being so patient with me. It might take a while for me to write the next chapter, so please bear with me. Merry Christmas to you all! Have a wonderful New Year as well._


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